Rim structure for flat tableware



R. G. COWAN Jan. 11, 1955 INVENTOR.

1i G'vy Gaza/y United States Patent ()filice Re. 23,918 Reissued Jan.11, 1 955 RIM STRUCTURE FOR FLAT TABLEWARE R. Guy Cowan, Fayctteville,N. Y., assiguor to Onondaga Pottery Company, Syracuse, N. Y., acorporation of New York 3 Claims. (Cl. 6515) Matter enclosed in heavybrackets appears in the original patent but forms no part of thisreissue specification; matter printed in italics indicates the additionsmade by reissue.

This invention relates to articles of tableware, such as plates,platters, and the like, designated generally as flatware and formed offrangible material, such as porcelain, and because they are formed ofsuch material they often become chipped around the edge, especially inhotel and restaurant use.

Various improvements have been heretofore made to minimize edge chippingof the Ware. For example, the edge has been formed with a round bead onthe underside of the rim at the edge thereof, see Love Patent No.226,665, issued April 20, 1880, [a flattened reinforcement on the underside of the rim at the edge thereof, or a rib on the under side of therim about halfway between the edge of the rim and the foot. Neither ofthe aforesaid] This type of edge [reinforcements] reinforcement is notapplicable to ware with a scalloped or irregular perimeter since thejigger tool remains stationary during the tooling while the ware isrotated on a mold and therefore the reinforcement [is] must beconcentric With the central axis of the piece. [Another method has]Other methods have been used consisting in providing a flattenedreinforcement on the under side of the rim at the edge thereof or inmaking the Ware generally thicker and thereby heavier which methods[destroys] destroy its appearance and salability for all except thecrudest uses and increases the expense of manufacture materially].

[This invention has as an object a construction for ware of the typereferred to wherein the peripheral edge portion of the ware at theextreme edge is of the conventional thickness of high grade ware forcommercial users. It is applicable to ware with scalloped or festoonededge, as well as plain, round edge. Ware with this construction hasincreased resistance to chipping compared with ware not involving thisconstruction and of comparable edge thickness] This invention has as anobject a corstruction for ware of the type referred to wherein theperipheral portion of the ware at the edge is thin enough to be ofpleasing appearance and yet strong enough to be suitable for commercialusage, such as hotels and restaurants, because it has increasedresistance to chipping or cracking compared with ware not involving thisconstruction and of comparable edge thickness. The construction of thisinvention is applicable to ware with scalloped or festooned edge, aswell as to ware with non-scalloped or plain edge. This invention alsoprovides a surface on the under side of the rim which acts as a fingergrip when handling the ware that minimizes the danger of the wareslipping out of grasp with the usual and customary finger location usedfor normal grasping of the Ware.

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations andconstructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

in describing this invention. reference is had to the accompanyingdrawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in allthe views.

Figure l is a plan view of the under side of a section of a plate formedin accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 22, Figure 1.

The plate is formed with a central section commonly referred to as afood well. This central section is encircled by a rim portion 11, theperipheral edge 12 of which is [substantially the same thickness as]preferably of a thickness not greater than the major portion of the rim.The rim is formed with a reinforcing portion terminating in a rib orshoulder 13 arranged inwardly from the peripheral edge and extendingconcentrically with the axis of the Ware. The rib 13 merges with theperiphery of the plate or, in other Words, the surface of the ribconverges with the top surface of the rim portion.

With this arrangement, the peripheral [part] edge of the rim is[substantially the same thickness as] preferably no thicker than themajor portion of the rim, whereby the Ware has the same appearance andfeel as if no thickening of the rim existed. However, the thickenedportion [efiected by] terminating in the rib 13 is positioned toreinforce the resistance to the impact of any blow on the edge of theWare. That is, the force of any impact applied to the edge of the wareis transmitted immediately to the thickened portion Which is ofsufiicient strength to increase the resistance to cracking or chipping.Heretofore, it was the general theory that the edge of the ware had tobe the thickest part of the rim portion in order to effectively resistimpacts which would ordinarily cause chipping or cracking of the ware. Ihave found however that with the rib 13 spaced inwardly from but mergingwith and forming a part of the peripheral edge portion, in accordancewith this invention, impacts which would ordinarily cause chipping orcracking of the ware are efifectively resisted and the life of the warematerially prolonged and yet the weight of the ware is not markedlyincreased and the appearance and salability of the ware [is] are notimpaired.

In the drawings, the plate is illustrated as having a scalloped edge.[in ware of this type the usual head or welt is not applicable due totheir being concentric with the axis of the Ware, Whereas the extremeedge of the ware is at varying distances from the axis of the ware] Theusual bead or roll on the under side of the outer edge is not applicableto ware having a scalloped or irregular peripheral edge since theperipheral bead, by reason of its method of formation, must beconcentric with the axis of the ware and therefore cannot follow ascalloped edge which is at varying distances from the axis of the ware.In the present invention, the shoulder or rib 15 is concentric with theaxis of the ware but is positioned inwardly of the deepest indentationsof a scalloped edge, the shoulder tapering gradually toward theperipheral edge to efiect increased strength and a pleasing appearance,as aforementioned. With this tapered construction, the actual thicknessof the extreme edge of scalloped ware will vary with the scalloppattern, being slightly thicker at the indentations, or innermost pointsof the edge, than at the projections or outermost points of the edge.

[It] From the foregoing, it should be obvious that [the same advantagesobtained with my construction exist with] my improved construction, withits attendant advantages, may be applied to plain, round edge Ware as[with] well as to scalloped or festooned edge Ware.

While in the construction herein described, the edge of the plate is [ofconventional thickness, the bead] thin enough to be of pleasingappearance, the shoulder or rib 13 is of substantial height relative tothe adjoining under surface of the rim of the plate and thus forms, orprovides, a. finger grip on the under side of the rim spaced inwardly asufficient distance from the edge of the plate to be engaged by thefinger in the natural handling of the plate. Accordingly, this ribserves the dual function of substantially resisting chipping of the wareand rendering it more easy and safe to handle.

What I claim is:

[1. A plate or similar article of tableware formed of frangible materialcomprising a substantially fiat central portion encircled by a rimportion extending from said central portion at an angle of 20 or less tothe horizontal, said rim portion having an annular portion of graduallyand uniformly increasing thickness from the peripheral edge thereof to ashoulder on the underside of said rim spaced from said peripheral edgeand an annular portion of uniform thickness from said shoulder to saidcentral portion, the thickness of said last-named annular portion beingsubstantially equal to the thickness of the peripheral edge of said rim]2. A plate or similar article of tableware formed of frangible materialcomprising a substantially flat central portion encircled by a foot anda rim portion exterior to the foot, said rim portion extending upwardlyand having a reinforcing portion on the under side thereof extendingfrom the peripheral edge of the rim and gradually increasing inthickness from said edge and terminating in a shoulder projecting on theunder side of said rim portion located between said edge and said foot,said shoulder being concentric with the axis of the article as formed,said reinforcing portion increasing resistance to chipping or crackingat the peripheral edge of said article.

3. A plate or similar article of tableware formed of frangiblematerialby means including a mold forming the concave surface thereofand a jigger tool spaced from said mold and forming the convex surfacethereof by relative rotation of'said mold and tool, said article havinga substantially flat central portion encircled by a foot and a rimportion, said rim portion having a reinforcing portion extending fromthe peripheral edge and increasing gradually in thickness from saidperipheral edge and terminating in a shoulder projecting on the underside of said rim portion between said edge and said foot, said shoulderbeing concentric with the axis of the article as formed, saidreinforcing portion increasing resistance to chipping or cracking at theperipheral edge of said article.

4. A plate or similar article of tableware formed of frangible materialby means including a mold forming the concave surface thereof and ajigger tool spaced from said mold and forming the convex surface thereofby relative rotation of said mold and tool, said article having asubstantially flat central portion encircled by a foot and a rim portionhaving a scalloped peripheral edge, said rim portion having areinforcing portion extending from the peripheral edge and increasinggradually in thickness from said peripheral edge and terminating in ashoulder projecting on the under side of said rim portion between saidedge and said foot, said shoulder being concentric with the axis of thearticle as formed, said reinforcing portion increasing resistance tochipping or cracking at the peripheral edge of said article.

References Cited in the file of this patent or the original patentUNITED STATES PATENTS D. 8,465 Lyon July 6, 1875 D. 23,900 Haviland Dec.25, 1894 D. 25,515 Haviland May 19, 1896 D. 25,516 Haviland May 19, 1896D. 101,983 Duncan 3d et a1. Nov. 17, 1936 63,138 Chapman Mar. 26, 1867226,665 Love Apr. 20, 1880 260,470 Fisher July 4, 1882 1,022,882 SchwennApr. 9, 1912 1,882,198 Slick Oct. 11, 1932 1,901,837 Bateholts Mar. 14,1933 1,977,700 Sebring, Jr., et al. Oct. 23, 1934 2,142,811 Agonis Jan.3, 1939 2,178,274 Ratner Oct. 31, 1939 2,235,502 Leppke Mar. 18, 1 9412,240,842 Gehring et a1. May 6, 1941 2,469,777 Mohun May 10, 19492,474,509 Allen June 28, 1949 2,599,910 Guthrie June 10, 1952 FOREIGNPATENTS 8,827 Great Britain Apr. 16, 1902 10,384 Great Britain June 6,1900 11,161 Great Britain May 9, 1911 27,836 Great Britain Dec. 7, 189642,411 France Apr. 25, 1933 525,264 Great Britain Aug. 26, 1940 621,567France Feb. 7, 1927 724,290 Germany Aug. 22, 1942

